Tying device and method of and apparatus for forming the same



Feb. 27, 1968 F. E HILTON 3,370,328

TYING DEVICE AND METHOD OF AND APPARATUS FOR FORMING THE SAME Filed Jan.30, 1964 2 Sheets-Sheet l FRANK E. HILTON INVENTOR.

BUCKHORN, BLORE, KLAROUIST 8 SPARKMAN ATTORNEYS Feb. 27, 1968 F. E.HILTON 3,370,328

TYING DEVICE AND METHOD OF AND APPARATUS FOR FORMING THE SAME Filed Jan.30, 1964 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 I S i 26 r 26 l3 5 -7 1F u 1 25+ 26 30 32 352Fig8 I3 34 I4/FTITILZZJIIILQFILZQJ/6 .20 PRINTED 22 E0 MATTER 9 lo 5 /2FRANK E. HILTON INVENTOR.

BUCKHORN, BLORE, KLAROUIS T 8: SPARKMAN ATTORNEYS United States Patent3,370,328 TYING DEVICE AND METHOD OF AND APPARATUS FOR FORMING THE SAMEFrank E. Hilton, Portland, 0reg., assignor to Package Containers, Inc.,Portland, Oreg., a corporation of Oregon Filed Jan. 30, 1964, Ser. No.341,305 18 Claims. (Cl. 2416) ABSTRACT OF THE DISCLOSURE Thisapplication discloses a method of making a wirereinforced tying devicehaving an advertising panel portion from a single continuously movingweb of sheet material and a single continuous strand of wire. The methodis performed in an apparatus having mounted thereon a roll of relativelywide paper web and a roll of wire both of which are unrolled and drawnthrough the apparatus in a continuously moving web and strandrespectively. The apparatus includes means spaced along the conveyorpath for performing in sequence various operations on the paper web,including imprinting the web with a legend, and then applying adhesiveto a side edge surface portion of the web. Thereafter the wire and webare drawn together through a folding device wherein the adhesivecoatededge portion of the web is folded over the wire. The folded edge thenpasses between frictionally engaged pressure rolls which press the gluedsurfaces of the edge together to form a continuous wire-reinforcedsearn. Subsequently, a rotating slitter blade downstream from thepressure rolls periodically penetrates the passing web just inwardly ofthe seam to make a single longitudinal slit in the web. Downstream fromthe slitter, three spaced cutter blades on a single rotating cuttershaft make three successive transverse cuts in the passing web, each ofwhich cuts is spaced to intersect the same longitudinal slit and sever atying device in its final shape from the web upon each revolution of thecutter shaft. Thereafter, vacuum segregating means separates thefinished tying devices from the resulting paper scrap, and collectingapparatus stacks the finished tying devices in neat piles.

The present invention relates to tying devices and to a method of andapparatus for forming such tying devices, particularly wire-reinforcedpaper tying strips having a relatively wide panel portion on whichadvertising matter can be imprinted.

Wire-reinforced paper tying devices for binding together packages anditems of various sizes and shapes are common, but such devices have auniformly narrow width and therefore provide a minimum surface area onwhich to imprint informational material.

Consequently, a primary object of the present invention is to provide anew and improved tying device having a relatively wide panel portionintermediate its narrower, opposite tying ends.

Another primary object of the invention is to provide a method of makinga tying device having a wide panel portion intermediate its narrow tyingends from a continuous web of paper of uniform width and a continuousstrand of wire.

Still another principal object of the invention is to provide newapparatus for performing the various steps of the aforementioned method.

A more specific object is to provide cutting and slitting means whichcuts tying devices cleanly from a rapidly and continuously moving web ofpaper with a minimum of cutting strokes and without affecting upstreamflow of the web through the apparatus.

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Another specific object is to provide new and improved means forsegregating tying devices from scrap material cut from a web of paperand means for collecting the segregated portions.

These and other objects and advantages of the invention will become moreapparent hereinafter.

A more detailed description of the invention follows with reference tothe accompanying drawings.

In the drawings:

FIG. 1 shows diagrammatically a side elevation of the major portion ofan apparatus in accordance with the invention;

FIG. 2 is a perspective view on an enlarged scale show ing the cuttermeans and related portions of the apparatus of FIG. 1;

FIG. 3 is a perspective view on an enlarged scale showing theedge-folding portion of the apparatus of FIG. 1;

FIG. 4 is a perspective view showing a collecting and stacking portionof the apparatus of FIG. 1;

FIGS. 5 through 8 illustrate in sequence various steps in a method forforming tying devices in accordance with the invention; and

FIG. 9 illustrates a tying device in accordance with the invention.

With reference to the drawings, FIG. 9 illustrates a tying device 10with which the invention is concerned. The device is made from a web ofsheet material, preferably paper, and includes a relatively widerectangular panel portion 12 having an unseamed side edge 13 and anopposite, seamed side edge 14. An easily deformable wire reinforcingstrand 16 extends longitudinally of the device within the seam, thestrand being retained therein by adhesive which binds the seam together.The wirereinforced, seamed edge 14 projects beyond the opposite ends 18of the rectangular panel portion 12 to define a pair of relativelynarrow tie ends 20. In binding a package together the panel portion 12envelops the package and the tie ends 20 are twisted together to holdthe panel in place. Because of the relatively great width of the panelportion, a large quantity of printed matter such as trademarks,advertising material, instructions and the like can be imprintedthereon, preferably during the making of such devices in the apparatusdescribed hereinafter.

FIGS. 5 to 8 inclusive illustrate the sequential steps of the process bywhich the tying device 10 is made. In such process, a continuous stripor Web 22 of paper having a width only slightly greater than the finalwidth of thepanel portion 12 is imprinted on one or both sides thereofas desired as the web is fed along a predetermined path. Thereafter, anarrow stripe 24 of adhesive is applied to one surface only of the webadjacent an edge thereof, the stripe being narrower than the fold widthand centered with respect to the edge and the fold to be made. Acontinuous strand of wire 16, FIG. 6, is then fed into engagement withthe web and positioned on the opposite side of the fold line so as to becentered beneath the adhesive stripe when the edge is overfolded. Theadhesive-coated edge portion of the web is then folded over the wire 16and the facing surfaces pressed together to form the continuouswire-reinforced seam 14 as shown in the right-hand portion of FIG. 6.Thereafter,

as it moves along its path, the web is slit at uniformly spacedintervals along its length just inwardly of the seam 14 to provide aseries of uniformly spaced longitudinal slits 26 of predetermined,uniform length. Following the slitting operation, the web is cutperpendicular to its length in three places, at the location of eachslit 26 so that each cut intersects the same slit 26, as shown in 0 FIG.8. The three cuts include a first cut 28 extending side edge 14 to themidportion of the slit 26 so as to sever the wire v16 and thus separatea finished tying device from the web 22, and a third cut 32 extendingfrom the unseamed side edge 13' to the opposite end of the slit 26 tocut a rectangular piecepof scrap 34 from the web and form one end of thenext succeeding tying device 10.

Referring now to FIG. 1, apparatus is shown for performing the foregoingoperations and producing tying devices in great quantity and in rapidsuccession. Such apparatus includes an upright panel portion 41 abovewhich is suitably mounted a supply roll 39 of web paper 22 and a roll 42of wire 16. The web 22 and wire 16 are simultaneously pulled from theirrespective rolls at a substantially uniform rate of speed by a largedriving wheel 44. Proceeding along the conveying path of the apparatusas defined by the web 22, and in the conveying direction, the web 22first passes between printing rolls 46, 47 of any suitable kind and towhich ink may be applied by any suitable means (not shown) and whichprint a desired legend on one or both surfaces of the web, as desired,each time the rolls rotate one revolution. Obviously the paper may alsobe preprinted.

From the printing rolls the web 22 passes about a tension roll 48 andthence over a positioning roll 49. Means are provided to apply theadhesive stripe 24 and which means may comprise an adhesive-applyingwheel positioned above the roll 49 and engaging the upper surface of theweb 22. Adhesive is fed to the rim of the Wheel 50 by suitable meanssuch as a glue pot 51 above such wheel, and applied in the continuousstripe 24 to the paper web as it passes therebeneath. As the paper webproceeds'downstream from the glue roll 50 and over a guide roll 52, thewire 16 is drawn from its roll 42, fed underneath a tension roll 53 andpositioned just above the path of-the web 22 such that the wire is laidupon the web parallel to the adhesive stripe 24. The web 22 and wire 16are then drawn together through afolding device, or cone 54, and foldedin the manner shown in FIG. 6, folding 'an edge portion of the web overitself and the wire 16 to form the seam 14.

As shown most 'clearly'in FIG. 3, the folding cone 54 includes a flatplate portion 55 over which the web 22 is drawn and a curled, generallyconical lip portion 56 through which the adhesive-coated side edge ofthe web and the wire proceed as the web travels over the plate portion55. The curled lip portion 56 is formed generally in the shape of a conewith the large end 57 thereof being at the upstream end of the foldingdevice. The interior cross section of the conical lip portion graduallydiminishes in size toward the opposite, downstream end 58 thereof fromwhich the folded edge of the Web emerges. As the cone diminishes insize, its upper wall also becomes more'fiattened whereby the folded,outer side edge of the cone becomes gradually more abrupt, until at thedownstream end 58, a sharp crease is formed which will accordinglycrease the folded edge ofthe web 22 drawn lengthwise therethrough. Thedownwardly directed extreme side edge 59 of the curled lip portion 56 isspaced above the upper surface of the flat plate portion 55 a suflicientdistance so that the web 22 can pass freely beneath the edge 59 of thelip. The folding cone 54 is mounted 'on an angle bracket 60 for securingthe device to the panel 41.

After emerging from the folding cone 54, the web 22 passes about theperiphery, of rim, of the driving wheel 44. While traveling about therim, the folded edge of the web 22 passes between the rim and a pair ofpressure rolls 62, 63 which pressurably engage the rim to press togetherthe folded edge, thereby forming a continuous, wire-reinforced seam 14.s

Spaced downstream from the driving wheel 44 is a slitting means forcutting the longitudinal slits 26 in the web 22. The slitting meansincludes a rotating slitter mandrel 64 over which the web 22 travels anda rotatable slitter segment 66 mounted on a driven shaft verticallyabove. the mandrel. The outer end of the segment 66 defines a singlearcuate slitter blade 67 extending longitudinally of the conveyor path,the cutting edge of which is received within a circumferential groove(not shown) in the peripheral surface of the mandrel 64 as the bladerotates. Rotation of the segment 66 causes the blade 67 to have aperiodic slitting stroke that defines an arcuate path intersecting theconveyor path of the web 22 and thus cutting a single longitudinal slit26 in the strip once during each revolution of the slitter segment66.'The slitter segment 66 and mandrel 64 rotate in opposite directionssuch that the slitter blade travels generally in the conveyor directionas the blade slits the web.

A web-stabilizing means is positioned downstream from the slitter meansand includes a pair of elongate pinch conveyor belts 68, 69, the facingsurfaces of which engage one another and thus also the web 22 whichpasses therebetween. The belts 68, 69 have two functions, one being toremove the driving wheel-induced curvature from theweb 22 after itemerges from the slitting means,

and the other being to prevent the downstream cutting operations, to bedescribed shortly, from interfering with thesmooth flow of the webthrough the apparatus and thus the accuracy of the slitting operationjust described. Cutter means for severing finished tying devices10 fromthe continuous web 22 is positioned just downstream along the conveyorpath from the pinch belts'68, 69.

The cutter means includes a driven cutter shaft 70 mounted above theconveyor path and having three projecting clamp arms 71, 72 and 73radiating therefrom, each of which grips a cutter blade 74, 75 and 76respectively. All of the cutterblades extend transversely of theconveyor path and are adjusted to be at substantially equal distancesfrom the axis of the shaft 70 such that the cutting stroke of each bladedefines, as the shaft 70 rotates, an 7 a'rcuate cutting path thatintersects the conveyor path of the web 22 and thus cuts such web at thedownward limit of the cutting stroke.

The leading cutter blade 74 and its supporting arm 71 is identical inconstruction to the trailing cutter blade 76 and arm 73. The speed ofrotation of the shaft 70 in a clockwise direction and the spacing of theblades 74, 75 and 76 are such that the leading blade 74 forms the"transverse cut 28 in the web 22 from the unseamedfledge 13 thereof tothe leading end of a longitudinal slit 26,

whereas the trailing cutter blade 76 .makes an identical transverse cut32 from the same edge 13 to the trailing 'end of the same slit 26. Theintermediate cutter blade 75,

however, is shorter in length than the cutter blades 74 and 76 andoffset toward the panel 41 from the latter so that the blade 75 cuts theweb 22 at 30 from its seamed edge 14 to the the wire 16 and cutting acompleted tying device 10 from the web 22 upon each revolution of theshaft 70.

A second,'rotatable mandrel 78 is mounted vertically beneath the cuttershaft 70 in a'position such that the web 22 passes over the upperperipheral surface thereof. The peripheral surface of the mandrel 78 hastransversely extending, circumferentially spaced slots 79, 80 forreceiving the cutter blades 74 and 76 respectively when such blades cutthe web 22. A pair of slightly spaced apart, hardened steel inserts 81,82 define a third' transversely extending slot 84 intermediate the slots79 and 80 for receiving the wire-cutting blade 75.

A hold-down foot 86 comprising a flexible strip of felt or the likesplit endwise to form a pair of laterally extending fingers 88 ismounted on the following side of the arm 71 just rearwardly of theleading cutter blade 74, and an identical foot 87 is mounted in the samemanner on the cutter arm 73. The split fingers 88 extend-downwardly tohold the cut web 22 against the surface of the mandrel 78 immediatelyafter such 'web is cut and asthe blades 74 and 76 are lifting from theweb 22, thereby preventing the blades from tearing the webOrinter'rupting its forward movement as they recede therefromlfmid-point of the slit 26, thereby severing segregating means areprovided in conjunction with the final cutting operation for separatingfinished tying devices from the small patches of scrap 34 which resultfrom such cutting. These means include a plurality of small suctionholes 90 in the peripheral surface of the mandrel 78 between the leadingtransverse slot 79 and the insert 81. The holes 90 communicate with avacuum chamber (not shown) within the mandrel 78, which chamber in turnis connected in any suitable manner to a vacuum source remote therefrom.Suction is applied as the rectangular scrap 34 is severed from the web,causing the scrap to adhere to the apertured surface of the mandrel 78as such surface travels downwardly with the counterclockwise rotation ofthe mandrel. At the same time, the segregated tying device 10 continuesin a horizontal path over a horizontally disposed guide member 92mounted on the panel 41 and thence between a second pair of pinchconveyor belts 94, 96 which deliver the finished tying devices tocollecting and stacking means described below.

A hold-down roller 98 is mounted on an inclined bafile structure 100 andis adjustable so as to frictionally engage the peripheral surface of themandrel 78. Thus, as scrap 34 is carried downwardly on the surface ofthe mandrel 78, the roller 98 engages the scrap 34 to prevent it fromsliding backward over the mandrel surface. A slightly downwardlydirected blower 102 is mounted on the panel 41 opposite the bafilemember 100 and in a position so as to direct a stream of air in adirection substantially tangential to the lowermost surface of themandrel 78 and against the inner surface of the baffle 100. Scrap 34carried on the surface of the mandrel 78 to the underside thereof isthus separated from such surface by the airstream and deflected downwardinto a suitable receptacle 104.

Collecting and stacking means for stacking the finished tying devices islocated at the ofibear end of the delivery belts 94, 96. This apparatuscomprises a driven conveyor belt structure 106, shown in FIG. 4, whichextends horizontally at right angles to and slightly below the conveyorpath of the delivery belts 94, 96. Accordingly, tying devices emergingfrom the offbear end of the pinch belts 94, 96 are deposited onto theupper surface of the conveyor 106, with the unseamed edge '13 of thetying device directed downstream on such conveyor. An adjustable,inclined baffle member 108 is positioned at the offbear end of theconveyor 106. As each tying device 10 arrives at the ottbear end of thebelt 106, the leading, unseamed edge 13 thereof rides up onto theinclined surface 109 of the baffle member 108. The wire-reinforced andtherefore heavier, seamed edge 14 of the tying device 10 remains inabutment with the upper surface of the conveyor 106 despite thecontinuous movement of such surface, resulting in finished tying devicesbeing stacked on edge in neat piles against the baffle member 108, fromwhich they may be easily removed at intervals as desired.

From the foregoing, it will be evident that tying devices as describedcan be made in the apparatus rapidly, continuously and completelyautomatically. The means for driving the various belts, wheels andcutters in timed relation can be any of many well-known mechanicalarrangements, and accordingly such means are neither described nor shownherein.

Having illustrated and described a preferred embodiment of theinvention, it should be apparent to those skilled in the art that theinvention permits of modification and arrangement in detail. Intended aspart of the invention are all such modifications as come within the truespirit and scope of the appended claims.

I claim:

1. A method of making from a continuous web of sheet material tyingdevices each having a relatively wide panel portion for containingprinted matter and relatively narrow tie ends projecting beyond theopposite ends of said panel portion, said method comprising the steps:

(a) feeding a single web of sheet material continuously along apredetermined path,

(h) during the continuous feeding of said web slitting said web inwardlyadjacent and parallel to one side edge of said web at uniformly spacedintervals along the length thereof to provide a series of uniformlyspaced apart longitudinal slits of predetermined substantially equallength,

(0) and while continuing to feed said web cutting said web transverselyof its length at three separate spaced positions along each slit so asto provide three cuts intersecting each said slit, including a first,long cut extending from the side edge opposite said one side edge to oneend of said slit, a second, short cut extending from said one side edgeto the midportion of said slit, and a third, long cut extending fromsaid opposite side edge to the opposite end of said slit, therebyseparating said web into a series of said tying devices of uniformlength, Width and configuration.

2. A method of making from a continuous web of paper or the like tyingdevices each having a relatively wide panel portion for containingprinted matter and a wire-reinforced seamed edge projecting beyond the0pposite ends of said panel portion to define tie ends, said a methodcomprising the steps:

(a) feeding a single 'web of sheet material continuously along apredetermined path,

(b) applying a stripe of adhesive to one surface of a side edge portionof said Web while continuously feeding said Web,

(c) laying a strand of Wire along said side edge portion adjacent saidone surface while continuously feeding said web,

(d) folding said adhesive-coated side edge portion over said wire withsaid one adhesive coated surface facing inwardly toward said wire andsaid Web while continuously feed said web,

(e) pressing the folded side edge portion together to form a continuouswire reinforced seam while continuously feeding said web,

(f) slitting said web inwardly adjacent and parallel to said seam at afirst station along said web while continuously feeding said web toprovide a series of uniformly spaced apart longitudinal slits ofpredetermined substantially equal length,

(g) and cutting said web transversely of its length three times at asecond station along said web while continuously feeding said web and atthe location of each longitudinal slit so as to provide three cutsintersecting each said slit, including a first long cut extending fromthe unseamed side edge of said web to one end of said slit, a second,short cut extending from the seamed side edge of said web to themidportion of said slit and severing said wire, and a third, long cutextending from said unseamed side edge to the opposite end of said slit,thereby separating said web into a series of said tying devices ofuniform length, Width and configuration.

3. A method of making from a continuous web of paper tying devices eachhaving a rectangular panel portion for containing printed matter and aWire-reinforced seamed edge projecting beyond the opposite ends of saidpanel portion to define tie ends, said method comprising the sequentialsteps:

(a) feeding a continuous Web of paper along a predetermined path andduring the continuous feeding of said web,

(b) applying a continuous stripe of adhesive to one surface of a sideedge portion of said web,

(c) continuously feeding a continuous strand of wire along andsubstantially parallel to said side edge portion adjacent said onesurface,

(d) continuously folding said side edge portion substantially in halfover said strand so that said one 7 surface is folded inwardly againstitself and said adhesive stripe is positioned over said wire,

(e) pressing the folded said side edge portion together to form acontinuous bonded reinforced seam,

(f) slitting the passing said web along its length just inwardly of saidseam at periodic intervals using an arcuate slitting stroke to providesaid web with a series of uniformly spaced apart longitudinal slits ofsubstantially constant length,

(g) cutting the passing web transversely of the length thereof at thelocation of each said slit three times using each time an arcuatecutting stroke proceeding in the downstream direction of said web so asto provide three cuts each intersecting the same said slit, includingmaking two cuts from the unseamed side edge of said web to the oppositeends of said slit and making a third, intermediate cut from the seamedside edge of said web to the midportion of said slit, whereby eachseries of three cuts severs a finished tying device and a piece of scrapfrom said web,

(h) then segregating the finished tying devices from said scrap byconveying said tying devices in a straight path in continuation of thepath of said web while conveying said scrap in a path generally of thepath of said web.

4. Apparatus for making tying devices from a continuous web of flexiblesheet material of predetermined width, said tying devices including arectangular panel portion and a pair of tie ends projecting in oppositedirections beyond the opposite ends of said panel portion, saidapparatus comprising:

(a) means for feeding a continuous web of flexible sheet material in apredetermined path through said apparatus,

(b) rotary slitter means adjacent said conveyor path having a slittingstroke operating in timed relation to said web feeding means for makinga longitudinal slit of predetermined length in a side edge portion ofsaid web at evenly spaced intervals therealong while said web movescontinuously along said path,

(c) and rotary cutter means adjacent said conveyor path and spaced alongsaid conveyor path from said slitter means operating in timed relationthereto for making a series of three successive cuts in said webtransverse to the length thereof as said cutter means rotates in thegeneral direction of downstream movement of said web, such that eachseries of three transverse cuts intersects a single one of saidlongitudinal slits to form a completed one of said tying devices and tosever the same from said strip. 5. Apparatus for making tying devicesfrom a continuous web of flexible sheet material of predetermined width,said tying devices including a rectangular panel portion for containingprintedmatter and a pair of tie ends projecting in opposite directionsbeyond the opposi te ends of said panel portion, said apparatuscomprising:

(a) conveyor means for unrolling a roll of flexible sheet material in acontinuous web at a substantially uniform rate of speed and conveyingsaid web in a predetermined conveyor path through said apparatus,

(b) slitter means adjacent said conveyor path, including a movableslitter blade extending longitudinally of said conveyor path for makinga single longitudinal slit in a side edge portion of said web,

() said slitter blade having a periodic slitting stroke operating intimed relation to said conveyor means and defining an arcuate slittingpath intersecting said conveyor path,

((1) cutter means adjacent said conveyor path and spaced downstream fromsaid slitter means,

(c) said cutter means including three movable cutter blades extendingtransversely of said conveyor path, each having a cutting strokedefining an arcuate cut- 8 ting path intersecting said conveyor path forforming a series of three successive transverse cuts in said web,

(f) the directions of said cutting strokes being substantially the sameas the downstream conveyor direction where said cutting paths intersectsaid conveyor path, and

(g) the timing of said cutting strokes being correlated with each otherand the timing of said slitting stroke such that each of said threetransverse cuts intersect the same one of said slits.

6. Apparatus according to claim 4 wherein said slitter means includes arotatable slitter blade positioned on one' side of said conveyor pathdefining an arcuate slitter path intersecting said conveyor path, and arotatable mandrel positioned on the opposite side of and substantiallytangential to said conveyor path for engaging the undersurface of saidweb, said mandrel having a circumferentially extending groove in theperipheral surface thereof for receiving said slitter blade.

7. Apparatus according to claim 4 wherein said cutter means includes arotatable cutter shaft on one side of said conveyor path including meanson said shaft fixedly supporting in spaced apart relationship threecutter blades substantially the same radial distance from the axis ofsaid shaft, and a rotatable mandrel on the opposite side of saidconveyor path from said cutter shaft, said mandrel having three spacedapart transversely extending grooves in the peripheral surface thereof,each for receiving one of said three cutter blades.

8. Apparatus according to claim 7 wherein said mandrel includes vacuum.means in communication with a portion of the peripheral surface thereoffor gripping sheet scrap severed from said Web by said blades.

9. Apparatus according to claim 7 including flexible hold-down means onsaid cutter shaft rearwardly adjacent the first and third of said threecutter blades for holding said web against the peripheral surface ofsaid mandrel during the cutting of said web by said blades and thesubsequent withdrawal of said blades from said web.

19. Apparatus according to claim 9 wherein said holddown means includesa pair of flexible hold-down feet, one positioned rearwardly adjacentthe first and third of said three cutter blades, the radially outermostend portion of each of said hold-down feet being split in a directiontransversely of said conveyor path to define a pair of I web-holdingfingers.

11. Apparatus for making tying devices from a continuous web of paper ofpredetermined width, said tying devices including a rectangular panelportion for containing printed matter and a pair of tie ends projectingin opposite directions beyond the opposite ends of said panel, saidapparatus comprising:

(a) conveyor means for unrolling a roll of paper'in a continuous web andconveying'said web in a predetermined conveyor path through saidapparatus,

(b) rotatable slitter means adjacent said conveyor path having aperiodic slitting stroke for making a single longitudinal slit ofpredetermined length in a side edge portion of said web,

(c) rotatable cutter means spaced downstream from said slitter meansincluding three transversely extending cutter blades for periodicallymaking three successive cuts in said web each intersecting the same oneof said slits,

(d) and web-stabilizing means along said conveyor path between saidslitter means and said cutter means for straightening said web andstabilizing the flow of said web from said cutter means to said slittermeans;

12. Apparatus for making tying devices from a continuous web of paper ofpredetermined width, said tying devices including a rectangular panelportion for containing printed matter and a pair of tie ends projectingin opposite directions beyond the opposite ends of said panel, saidapparatus comprising:

(a) conveyor means for unrolling a roll of paper in a continuous web ata substantially uniform rate of speed and conveying said webcontinuously at substantially the same said speed in a predeterminedconveyor path through said apparatus,

(b) slitter means adjacent said conveyor path having a periodic slittingstroke for making a single longitudinal slit at intervals in a side edgeportion of said web,

() cutter means positioned downstream from said slitter means, includinga rotatable cutter shaft above said conveyor path having three cutterblades thereon for severing one of said tying devices and a piece ofscrap from said web and simultaneously forming the leading end of thenext succeeding tying device on said Web during each revolution of saidcutter shaft,

(d) a rotatable mandrel spaced vertically beneath said cutter shaft andhaving spaced grooves in the peripheral surface thereof for receivingsaid cutter blades,

(e) segregating means in association with said mandrel for segregatingsaid tying devices from said scrap following the severing of each fromsaid web,

(f) and means for rotating said mandrel and said cutter shaft inopposite directions so that said three cutter blades engage said webwhile moving in the downstream direction of said web.

13. Apparatus according to claim 12 wherein said segregating meansincludes vacuum means on said mandrel for holding said scrap against theperipheral surface of said mandrel, a guide member spaced downstreamfrom said mandrel for guiding tying devices cut from said web in ahorizontal path away from said mandrel, conveyor means adjacent saidguide member for conveying tying devices away from said mandrel, rollermeans frictionally engaging the peripheral surface of said mandrel forretaining said scrap against said surface during the latters downwardrotation, and blower means adjacent said mandrel for directing a streamof air against the lowermost portion of said mandrel and therebyseparating scrap therefrom.

14. Apparatus according to claim 12 wherein said segregating meansincludes vacuum means on said mandrel for holding scrap against theperipheral surface thereof, blower means laterally adjacent said mandrelfor removing scrap therefrom when said scrap is conveyed to theunderside of said mandrel, and inclined bafile means adjacent saidmandrel for deflecting downwardly the air stream from said blower means.

15. Apparatus for making tying devices from a continuous web of paper ofpredetermined width, said tying devices including a rectangular panelportion and a pair of tie ends projecting in opposite directions beyondthe opposite ends of said panel portion, said apparatus comprising:

(a) conveyor means for unrolling a roll of paper in a continuous web andconveying said web in a predetermined conveyor path through saidapparatus,

(b) rotatable slitter means adjacent said conveyor path having aperiodic slitting stroke for making a single longitudinal slit ofpredetermined length in a side edge portion of said web,

(c) rotatable cutter means adjacent said conveyor path and spaced alongsaid conveyor path from said slitter means for periodically making aseries of three successive cuts in said Web transverse to said conveyordirection in timed relation to said slitting stroke and the speed ofsaid conveyor means such that each series of three transverse cutsintersects a single one of said longitudinal slits to form a completedone of said tying devices and sever the same from said web,

(d) segregating means, including delivery conveyor 10 means forconveying finished tying devices away from said cutter means,

(e) and collecting and stacking means for stacking said finished tyingdevices in neat piles, including receiver conveyor means at the offbearend of said delivery conveyor means for conveying finished tying devicesin a direction generally transverse to the conveying direction of saiddelivery conveyor, and an inclined baffle member at the offbear end ofsaid receiver conveyor means against which said tying devices arestacked on edge.

16. Apparatus for making tying devices from a continuous web of paper ofpredetermined width, said tying devices including a relatively widerectangular panel portion and a pair of relatively narrowwire-reinforced tie ends extending beyond the opposite ends of saidpanel portion, said apparatus comprising:

(a) conveyor means, including a driving wheel for unrolling a roll ofpaper and a roll of wire in a continuous web and strand respectivelyalong a predetermined conveyor path,

(b) adhesive applying means along said conveyor path for applying astripe of adhesive to one surface of a side edge portion of said web,

(c) folding means downstream from said adhesive applying means forfolding said adhesive-coated side edge portion over said strand,

(d) pressure rolls pressurably engaging said driving wheel for applyingpressure against the folded side edge portion to form a continuous,wire-reinforced seam,

(e) slitter means downstream from said pressure rolls, including arotatable slitter blade operable in timed relation to said driving wheelfor periodically making a single longitudinal slit in said web adjacentsaid seam, and a slitter mandrel for receiving said slitter blade duringthe slitting stroke thereof,

(f) web-stabilizing means downstream from said slitter means, includingpinch conveyor belt means for straightening said web and stabilizing theflow thereof,

(g) cutter means downstream from said stabilizing means, including threecutter blades mounted on a common rotatable shaft for making threesuccessive transverse cuts in the passing web in timed relation to saidslitter blade and said driving wheel, and thereby severing a finishedtying device and a piece of scrap from said web, and a cutter mandrelbeneath said cutter blades for receiving said cutter blades as they cutsaid web,

(h) and segregating means in association with said cutter mandrel forseparating said scrap from said tying devices, including vacuum means onsaid mandrel, blower means laterally adjacent said mandrel, and deliverybelt means downstream from said mandrel,

(i) and means for rotating said slitter blade and said cutter shaft indirections such that said slitter blade and said cutter blades allengage said web While moving in the downstream direction of said web.

17. A tying device made from a single strip of flexible sheet materialcomprising:

(a) a relatively wide panel portion of flexible sheet material of singlesheet thickness,

(b) said panel portion having a relatively narrow folded over side edgeportion of double sheet thickness,

(c a deformable reinforcing strand extending lengthwise of said panelportion within the fold of said side edge portion,

(d) said side edge portion, including said reinforcing strand, extendingbeyond the opposite ends of said panel portion to define a pair ofreinforced tie ends of double sheet thickness.

18. A tying device made from a web of single sheet material comprising:

(a) relatively wide, rectangular panel portion of single sheet thicknesson which a legend can be imprinted,

(b) said panel portion having a relatively narrow overfolded side edgeportion,

(0) said over-folded side edge portion being bound together by adhesivein a continuous seam,

((1) said searn extending beyond the opposite ends of said panel portionto define a pair of tie ends,

(e) a strand of deformable reinforcing material extending lengthwise ofsaid side edge portion Within and coextensive with said seam.

References Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS Cutler 40-27 Phelps 161 100 XSchindler 156438 X Wall 4027 Halstead 156-438 Barrett 156178 X Powell40-21 Powell 156436 Engelstein 156196 EARL M. BERGERT, Primary Examiner.

M. L. KATZ, Assistant Examiner.

UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE CERTIFICATE OF CORRECTION Patent No.3,370,328 February 27, 1968 Frank E. Hilton It is certified that errorappears in the above identified patent and that said Letters Patent arehereby corrected as shown below:

Column 6, line 37, for "feed" read feeding column 7, line 25, after"generally" insert laterally column 11, line 1, for "web of single" readsingle web of Signed and sealed this 1st day of July 1969.

(SEAL) Attest:

Edward M. Fletcher, Jr. WILLIAM E. SCHUYLER, JR.

Attesting Officer Commissioner of Patents

